Mr. Obama's proposal, which would close loopholes in the tax code and raise to 30 percent the amount taxed on incomes worth more than $1 million, has been named for Warren Buffett after the billionaire investor told the president that he pays a lower tax rate than his secretary, Debbie Bosanek.

Bosanek was a guest in the first lady's box during the president's State of the Union address Tuesday night, and Cantor said in an interview with Erica Hill and Charlie Rose that Mr. Obama isn't the only elected official with her in mind.

"I care about Warren Buffett's secretary," said Cantor. "I want her to do well. I want her to do better just as I think that everybody in this country should have an opportunity to achieve and pursue their dream."

Without going into the kind of detail of his recent interview with CBS' "60 Minutes," Cantor said Wednesday that Republicans and the White House saw serious issues "very differently."

"I don't think anyone wants to pay higher taxes," said Cantor, "and I think the reality is the reason why Warren Buffett's secretary and so many millions of other Americans are frustrated is they see policies that have been promoted for the last three years by this White House that frankly don't work."